Center for Second Language Studies

Orientation Session Presentation August 21, 2012

Virginia Scott

Rethinking Grammar Teaching

INPUT PROCESSING

THE Questions

WHEN should I teaching grammar?Every day?At the beginning of the lesson?

HOW should I teach grammar?Deductive lesson (rule example)Inductive lesson (example rule)

Should I use L1 or L2 to teach grammar?

Definition & PrinciplesInput Processing

Input processing is an approach to grammar instruction that guides learners to process what they see or hear.

This approach helps learners connect language forms with their intended meanings.

Learners must DO something with the input they see or hear.

Traditional approachTraditional approach:

input developing system output

focused practice

a) Learners see or hear input.b) They think about it … (?) c) They practice during output.

Input processing approach

IP approach:

input developing system output

focused practice

a) Learners see or hear input.b) They DO something with what they

see or hear.

c) They produce the word or structure.

Traditional / Input processing:

A review

1) Traditional approach:input developing system output

focused practice

2) IP approach:input developing system output

focused practice

NOTE

For BOTH the traditional approach and the input processing approach teaching grammar includes three main phases:

1) providing input2) fostering learners’ developing language

system3) encouraging output

Structure: verbs with “ing” Topic: leisure activities

Going to the moviesShopping at the mallEating pizza at Mafiosa’sWatching TVTalking to friendsRiding a bikeDancing at a clubHiking at Radnor Lake ParkReading a bookSleeping late

Four kinds of IP activities:

1) Binary options2) Matching3) Selecting alternatives4) Supplying information

**Reminder: Students are listening OR reading and DOING something with what they hear/see. They are NOT speaking.

1. Binary optionsIndicate if you think the statements are TRUE or FALSE:

TRUE FALSEI like eating pizza. _____ _____I enjoy going to the movies. _____ _____I do not like hiking. _____ _____I hate watching TV. _____ _____I really like reading books. _____ _____I do not like riding a bike. _____ _____I like hiking. _____ _____I love dancing. _____ _____

(ORAL or WRITTEN input?)

2. Matching

What do you like?

I like …books.movies.music.nature.pizza.jokes.new clothes.

(ORAL or WRITTEN?)

I like …hiking.shopping.eating.laughing.reading.dancing.watching TV.

3. Selecting alternativesWhen I have free time I enjoy

___ watching TV.___ reading a book.___ talking to friends.

When I am hungry I prefer___ going out to a restaurant.___ cooking dinner at home.___ getting fast food.

When I go out with my friends we like___ going to the movies.___ sitting in a bar.___ dancing in a club.

(ORAL or WRITTEN?)

4. Supplying informationFill in the blanks below and be prepared to

share the information.

Name ____________________

I like eating _______________________________.I love drinking _____________________________.I enjoy watching ___________________________.I prefer reading _____________________________.I do not like going _____________________________.

Elicit the ruleState the rule clearly

• You can add “ing” to verbs.

• You can state preferences before the “ing” verb: I like going / I hate eating / I prefer dancing

• “ing” verbs are preceded by a helping verb: to be (I am reading)to like (I like shopping)

Guiding principles forinput processing:

Use both oral and written input.Focus on meaning before form.Have learners DO something with input.Design activities that require both discrete

(one answer) and open-ended (personal opinion) answers.

Have learners state the rule as final phase of the lesson.

ReferencesFarley, Andrew. 2004. Structured Input: Grammar

Instruction for the Acquisition-Oriented Classroom. New York: McGraw Hill.

Lee, James and Bill VanPatten. 2003. Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Wong, Wynne. 2004. Input Enhancement: From Theory and Research to the Classroom. New York: McGraw Hill.